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Completed journal of my battle with my tiel for a good diet.

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di_dee1

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I have brought this from another forum as it may or may not give some ideas to people who are having a battle converting their tiel (birds) to a healthier diet. Not all birds are the same but I hope it can be of some assistance.


2/2/2008

My fid, Angel (misnomer there when it comes to food) and I are having a battle of Wills. After all my researching I am more vigilantly introducing veges. Doing the popular seed out in mornings, some veges in the same but empty tray, a change a few hours later to fresh ones and seed back in at night.

Have been hiding and peeking around corners.
He made sure I wasn't around (yea right) and investigated his dish. The utter look of horror, and looking 4 me, looking at the dish, finally seeing me and giving me "THE LOOK" is so very very funny. After he did this a few times he went back on his swing, turned his back on me. Not a happy camper lmao.

I guess I don't help by giggling and saying "get over it birdbrain."
His seed will of course be back in there tonight and we will start round two tomorrow.
I am anticipating a lengthy battle, with me (him ultimately) winning.

The offended dignity, glares are so funny, yet he still luvs me, still the same out of cage but when he returns there, checks out his bowl the glares start again. So very funny to see.

PS I should have some high quality pellets arriving next week from a place that makes them in Wagga. NSW. They do many supplements for many animals in Zoos etc as well.
So, if anyone needs supplements for a pet seal or an elephant laxitive I can give you the link lol.

8/2/2008

Am doing this too so anyone trying it for the first time can read of progress, or lack of it. lol
yesterday Angel overcame total ignoring of the veges and tentatively tried picking a few seeds out of a mash of sweet potato/pumpkin and apple sauce. Still ignores green peas etc. He was not impressed with the feel of the mash on his beak and spent most of the time wiping it on bars and his perch.
Today however he is diving for the seeds, getting some veges as he does and is not concerned overly with it being all over his beak. Am waiting for a face of it now lol.
I will post more progress when it happens. The pellets have been held up but dispatched now and I should receive them Monday.
The last days he has been frantic for his seed that he now knows comes back when I feed the other animals at 7pm, it is light here till around 8. I wondered if he would stubbornly just wait for that. It is 5pm here in Australia and he is into the bowl.
 

di_dee1

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12/2/2008.

Birdbrain today actually ate some scrambled egg, was diving for the few seeds I had mushed in but I noticed he was actually sampling too where they weren't. I am doing about 4 different foods in the (identical dish that he has seed inl) at a time, textures, colour, sizing. Small amounts till I find he will eat some then I will increase (if that ever happens lol) I am sprinkling in and mushing in only about 1/4 teaspoon of seed as a lure lol.
He is not so obsessed now with having a clean beak until after he has finished a hopeful seed forage in it.
He is onto me about me taking the dish out, then replacing same one again lol. He used to come down from the swing to check it out. Now just peers down from above and gives me a "look"



A poster's comment.

Well... progress is being made. You can try scrambling up some eggs with veggies mixed in, and add a bit of seed for him-- it worked when I was trying to get my birds to try new things. Persistence will pay off-- just keep an eye on his weight so he is getting enough to eat while converting.

My reply

THank you. I will do that. He has his seed till about 10am, then 2 offerings of veges etc and his seed back at 7pm for pig out time. Still waiting on delivery of the pellets.

13/2/2008


The pellets have finally arrived. They advise, to introduce, to put equal quantities of seed and pellets, small amount of hot water to make it sticky and mould into a "rissole" Place in their normal feed dish.
I think I will do mornings the veges offering with some pellets in, a few seeds and do the afternoon "rissole" and then the seed in about 8pm. I will be keeping a close watch, I do not want him losing weight.
Oh boy, the things we persevere with so our l'il darlings will have a balanced diet when they obviously think otherwise.lol.

The story of a loving carer's (if ignorant at the time) progress.
Summary.
On learning that seed daily water changes, cleanliness and lots of time out of cage were NOT enough, I am attempting to introduce other foods and I am, as of today going to gradually convert to a good pellet, (they just arrived)with some seed and fruit vege diet (with thehelp of the God's above as birdbrain has other ideas) I am miles away, but have email access to a good avian vet.
I now have a first access first aid kit. Apart from the warmth aspect that I have learnt here I have the knowledge of pressure for bleeding, cornflour in a small container (to make a paste) bettadine (to be watered down) or failing all else a pair of needle nosed pliers for a blood feather. I have a probotic solution, a dvd and syringe on hand if he is huddled fluffed and not eating, drinking on bottom of cage. I have a good avian ointment for abrasions. There is a pastry brush and cotton buds for application. I have a vitamin solution to add in a specific amount to a specific amount of water for 3 to 5 days during moult.
He has cuttle fish, calcium perch and a mineral bell. Have a lice spray too but that is apparently rare for a solitary bird (duhh)
Is there anything else I need to have for a common emergency on hand?? I have kitchen scales but getting him onto them is a problem, may introduce that tray as a bird bath.


15/2/2008

I am using vetafarm's parrot pellets maintenance. no addatives except 0.05pc salt, vegetable oils and organic acids. Directions for cnversion were (as posted) done. The mixture then hardens (like a bird treat) Angel is quite happily eating it, digging for the seeds and accidentaly eating the pellets that bind it all.
He has now graduated to throwing some of the veges out onto cage floor from his morning offering of them.

I pulled out the seed, pellet mix and just offered the pellets and he ate some, seemingly quite happily. These will now be on permanant offering in the place where all these were done (I have 3 feed trays and 2 slots) On the other side I will still offer some seed am/pm plus the fresh stuff. The seed will continue till I am sure he is eating enough pellets.

This afternoon I found some broccoli and grated carrot thrown onto cage floor. I went and glared at him, asked "what is wrong with your yum yums" and got a bit thrown at me. He gets offended when I laugh at him. Tonight too the seed went in a bit later, he had been screaming for it a few minutes but I put it in the slot on the other side of front of cage. he couldn't be bothered looking at it and went back to his swing. I will watch more tomorrow, he had eaten a lot of pellets today.



poop is not green anymore, much darker and good consistency. Have told him we will grow old disgracefully together (I am 51)
 

di_dee1

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16/02/2008

An interesting morning.
My husband (a farmer) came in mid morning, feeling a little "peckish" as he usually does. While I was making coffee he made a piece of toast, halved it, one part peanut butter, one part from a small plate in the 'fridge.
I have to always tell him things are saved to use for dinner or low fat stuff for me (which he doesn't like but will take it and eat it anyway if he is "desperate") He has also been shown what is for the bird and where I always place a small plate or bowl with it in it.
I stifled a laugh into a cough and continued making his coffee.
After he had eaten his toast I asked him how he had enjoyed birdbrains' egg, broccoli, bean,carrot, mushed pellet and seed "spread"
I now know where Angel got "the LOOK" from.
Maybe, just maybe he will now think whilst foraging in the fridge.



17/2/2008

RIGHT, BIRDBRAIN we still continue. You are ignoring the pellets except for a peck now and then. Seed comes out still in the morning and today we try a new mix, not as mushy with pumpkin, sweet potato, some frozen mixed veges (capsicum, beans, peas, broccoli, cauli flower and carrot.) I added peanut butter, some pellet and seed. Later this afternoon I added egg and vege mix with some of the seed and pellet patty. You will go for the seed, accidentally eating veges and egg and totally pull apart the hardened patty. Your poos are still dark so I KNOW you are eating some pellets even though you don't want me to see you.
Yessss dear, seed will still go back in in half an hour's time.

I am NOT checking hubby's poop!


23/02/2008


We are still persevering. Birdbrain seems to prefer scrambled egg to the veges (veges etc also in the egg) but I don't want to offer egg every day. Atm I will twice a week. A bit of seed does go in everything, including the pellets to lure him in lol.
Bits are going down his gullet so it is SOME improvement.

Regaining his flight though has caused him so much joy and return of confidence, not to mention ATTITUDE at times lol. Love it.

(all flight feathers were lost in a huge night fright before this)

1/3/2008

Have had a bit of a win lol.
As mentioned before he will eat some egg but throw out any veges.
Will now look into the food dish (same as the one he dives into at night as if his throat has been cut so nothing will reach his tummy lol.
Veges done in many ways just will not cut it, too bad, will continue offering.
However, yesterday at the supermarket I picked up some organic, no sulfur, no additives or preservatives nuts and berry mix. (gees it takes some reading of labels) I figured if he wouldn't eat it at least I would.
Offered him today some chopped up almond, walnuts, sultanas and maybe it was a dried raspberry lol. Also found cheerios so crumpled one in there too and he ATE SOME!!!

We have tried vege mix with peanut butter, with apple sauce, with chilli powder and with cayene pepper. We have also offered seed heads of home grown italian parsley.

We persevere.
If he ever talks he will say.....what the hell is wrong with your yum yums?
 

di_dee1

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A poster's comment and mine back. I have not added the chit chat posts here.

Mine love almonds and nuts in general... lol good choice!

Still offering, still being refused lol


21/3/2008

We are still persevering without much luck, though I did notice the other day when I didn't offer veges he kept comomh back to look in the dish lol.
I have done birdy pancakes, with seeds pellets, nuts dried fruit, applesauce and cinnamon.
His vege mix I vary with cayenne pepper or powered chillis.
I have now cooked up some brown rice to add to the mix and he has a broccoli floret hanging by his food tray.

As of yesterday we have a new cage too, I know people here don't like big spacings in the bars, well. Angel loved poking his head out to the shoulders, no way at all of him getting stuck. However, enter a new Kitten, almost teenager age, well supervised when inside with the other two.
Angel's cage, I think I have mentioned before hangs from the ceiling, dear new cat managed to leap that high from the floor and hang on to the swinging cage corner. Needless to say the cage was raised yet higher, I have to stand on a chair to do anything with the top half of it. As the cat's paws could very very easily stretch all the way into the cage we now have a lovely proper spaced bar cage. A tray that SLIDES OUT...woohoo, the other one had to be taken down and the bottom unclipped and the cage lifted off to clean, a real pain in the bottom. 4 feed dishes. lots of rope and different perches etc etc.
He is not an inquisitive bird and was VERY put out at first. He never hisses or lunges, he just goes quiet and the makes elaborate plans to go around whatever it is in the cage that is new lol.
As he had his old swing, things he knew he has actually made the transition far far better than I had anticipated.
Maybe the new environment might stimulate him to try more of the food lol.


From a poster.

still give him some seed, as I have read that a sole pellet diet is too high in protein for cockatiels and can give them kidney disease, my tiel eats lots of green leafy veggies, peas and corn are a big hit, put frozen peas/corn in a bowl cover with boiling water and drain when cooked let cool slightly and serve luke warm, I also feed small amounts of human food cornflakes, special K, oats, burgen bread, almonds, wholegrain pasta, I used to feed my bird vetafarm but I did not like the smell, you can also buy another Australian made pellet called Dr. Macs, I can't get my bird to eat Harrison's organic pellets so I crush it in with his seed, heres the link for a vet that has an online shop that sells pellets
http://www.drrossperry.com/products/...ype=Food&tid=1

23/3/2008

Thanks so much for the link Patti, I have had a quick look and saved it.
Angel will still be getting seed. He gets it back at night still and i now only offer one sitting of veges a day.
WE HAVE BIG PROGRESS. I have clear food containers so I can sit under the cage and watch what he foragers for in the veges. He is now actually eating them.......doing the happy dance. He was getting into the birdie pancakes and the brown rice and vege mix I had prepared! OMG, it has only taken since the beginning of february lol.
Not so much luck with the pellets as yet, may get some different ones, I do have them crushed into the birdie pancakes with cinamon. They are still offered 24/7
I have noticed that since his move to the new cage he now nibbles his mineral bell and cuttlefish.

3/4/2008


I Usually get trill cockateil mix which an australian forum says is ok but today I went really looking and examining labels. I have found a great mix, seeds, fruit, hulled seeds that have been fortified in vitamins (coloured for differentiation) as well as a pellets in it. It is endorsed by the parrot society. No preservatives etc or "filler" seeds. I tried Angel on it tonight and he accepted it exactly as he does his regular seed mix that he gets at night through to the morning.
We will be using this now.
Days he will still be offered a feed dish with pellets and at different times mixed with fruit and nuts, some other pellety mixes I have coming and also offered his veges and greens in another.
With this new mix he has I feel his diet is much much better.


19/4/2008

I am getting so much happier. His seed, pellet fruit and vege mix I have now added some of the vetafarm pellets. I soak seeds overnight (some seed mix in a collander, rinsed with hot water then soaked in a bowl of warm water with a plastic bag around it for humididty, rinsed well in the morning then served. Lots are starting to germinate by then which has to be nutritious as sprouts are for us.

Our magic formula seems to be cooked brown rice, some finely chopped red chili, grated carrot (FINALLY a size he likes lol, small) some well chopped brocoli the sprouted seed and in this mix he will at least try any new finely chopped stuff.

We will keep plodding on.

I bought a wonderful new swing for him, all australian natural stuff like gum nuts, little pine cones etc threaded over all the sides. the base is a wonderful wood with shred able bark. With my darling angel it is still the swing from hell, designed to get him at any time from any angle. His usual time frame for anything new is about 3 weeks. I do not DARE change his toys around in the cage. He ignores them anyway and just loves trying to shred his rope perches.
 

di_dee1

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27/4/2008


I have found that sheer persistence does pay off, as well as finding out exactly what they will and wont eat and what SHAPE it has to be lmao, or placement in cage......gees, the things we do.
Good luck, please keep going even when you feel like giving up because when you win, so does your fid.
Many hugs.

PS. The new swing I bought him is still the swing of death from hell lol, it isn't three weeks yet.
Makes me giggle the way he elaborately manages to avoid going near it yet.


16/5/2008

It is still the swing from hell. what is it, a month now???? Mrs patience is NO MORE> I will tie some millet to it and I am kicking myself for not doing that beforehand.

Feeding front we seem to be ok, overnight germinated seed, br rice, assorted whatever appeals to him at the time veges, (no size differences, he wants it all very small) dried and fresh chilli, cayenne pepper, egg and carrot ONLY in one grated size, nothing else will be accepted. I have made my own mix of seeds, pellet, toipicana mix with fruit, nuts for overnight and morning for him.

He also was actually under the shower with me briefly too instead of just watching from on top of the glass.


15/12/2008

He now chows down daily on his base mix of brown rice and chilli, added to that a changing variety of corn, green stuff, some shredded meat, germinated lentils and seed and veges, some cooked, some grated raw.



21/1/2009

Angel now hates carrot in any form, lol. I now have a few different pellets I offer in a small dish, I have tricked him though, the pellets get offered after the veges and he has a few before he feels duped, then his seed goes back in around now, lol.

I am going to start being sneaky with them again in veges etc too as he now knows the taste and realizes they are not out to kill him and that they are food.

I have got to start saying she as I am pretty sure he is a girl.


4/8/2009


Just an update. For the last six months now she and Bub (new addition in April) can not wait for the daily offering of veges, grains, sometimes germinated seed as long as they have their dried chillies in it. Perseverance and consistency won the day. They still have pellets in there 24/7 and nibble on them too, especially if their favourite veges have been eaten.
I still cook and freeze the grain mix of brown rice, wholemeal pasta and quinoa once a month and break off enough to use as a base for their other stuff for two days. If I sometimes miss a day I see them perplexedly looking into their dishes wondering where they are. Bub will even fly back to her cage in anticipation when she is with me preparing them and Angel is patiently waiting as I take out the seed/pellets dishes before I start preparing as a signal that the other will be there soon.

persistence can really pay off!
 

rockoko

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Thanks for the journal, I'm sure it can help someone! :highfive:
 

Cynthia & Percy

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thanks for the entries I enjoyed reading them
 

Thugluvgrl187

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Great journal. I know this will help someone.
 

MorningGloria

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Thanks for the posting! I will definitely finish reading this when I'm off from work. I'm still stuck in stage one with Archy (though at least it's artificial flavor filled pellets and not seed)
 

allison

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I had a similar battle with Kei. I had given up for a while and just gave him frozen veggies as they were the only things he wasn't terrified of. He'd actually look into the dish and if there was anything unfamiliar, he would scream and fly away. What worked for me was removing his dry food at night and offering only fresh in the morning. It also helped to food process it into really small pieces so he couldn't pic out stuff that he liked.
 

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MorningGloria

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Allison-

You took ALL food out at night? What time did you do this?

I've heard this suggested before. I'm always terrified he's going to go hungry so I think I end up replacing his regular food too soon.
 

di_dee1

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I did it so that I wouldn't give up, lol. So many times I thought that this is just not going to work, but it did.
They did not have their veges for two days due to things that were happening here, WHOA, I had to battle them getting the dishes in as they were trying to get to them. When the seed/pellet mix comes out they know the others come in. I stupidly had to walk back to the kitchen to get them. 3 birds loudly waiting and protesting at 3 feed stations waiting for their fix.
 
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